The Irish standard., 1887-05-21

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seeks new and more favorable paths,
leaving the proud ones in possession OF
their stagnant stupidity. TO keen
observer of national characteristics it
must be d scarce Of pleasure to notice
that genuine Americans are ever will
ing to learn and to improve themselves.
They are sympathetic and generous !;
and they would be glad to see every
body succeed in the pursuit OF happi-
ness. With these admirable qualities
our citizens will not always mis-
understand us Catholics to the extent
OF looking upon us as ''enemies Of free
institutions. They have learned much
already about the Catholic Church, or
rather, they have lost much prejudice.
They are now learning that the Catho-
lie religion isa pow erful antidote against
communism, intemperance:a and divorce.
They Will yet learn that this same
Catholic Church would be quite i'm
potent against crime il she relinqnished
aer right to have Il voice in educational
matters. They will also learn that the
present school system is not the most
perfect in existence The system in
vogue in England and in all English
possessions and colonies is superior to
ours. The majority Of Americans cling
to the present school system because
they have never yet studied q broader
and more liberal system. But they will
do justice to us Catholics in this matter
within the next ten Or fifteen years.
Until then we shall continue to main
tain our right at great cost and sac
ri6ce.
The time is approaching when Amer
ica--the fajrest home Of the free--Will
be at the mercy Of the ravaging furies
engendered by anarchy, intemperance
and divorce. The State will then ab-
solutely need the help Of religion. 1t
looks as though the Protestant churches
would then be unable or unprepared to
give the needed help. This needed help
may come from the Catholic Church,
who, according to the rule Of the sur
vival of the tittest. will then be consid-
cred as being supremely III harmony
with free institutions. If some of the
Protestant churches shall then be left
i'll the lurch, it will be a great misfor-
tune; but they deserve no better fate
so long as they do not join the Catholic
Church in trying to remedy a calami-
tous defect in our present school sys-
tenn. The shrewdest enemies of the
Catholic Church begin to perceive this,
and hence the sinister croakings of
false prophets Of evil.
1t seems that the worst malefactors
in this respect are some alleged minis
tiers of Christ. 1t is not true that the
Catholic Church III America will ever
be, or wished to be, a State Church.
The time Of State churches is rapidly
passing away Aside from the present
defective school system there is now as
much union between Church and State
as we Catholics can desire; the State
guarantees protection to the Church,
and both State and Church work har-
moniously for the good Of the people.
There was time when the people.
wishing to escape the tyranny Of ignor-
ant and half barbarous rulers, implored
the Church to act as guardian over their
natural rights and liberties. Thence
arose institutions which were combina
tions Of civil and religious administra-
tions. Temporal cares in church dig.
nitaries have not always been conducive
to the best interests of Christianity
quite the contrary. And it is certain
that if the Church can devote herself
principally to the spiritual welfare of
her children her power for good must
be intellectually greater than under the
old system. During the last eighteen
centuries the Catholic Church has no.
where moved such true freedom as she
may enjoy in America. And if she does
her duty she will undoubtedly achieve
her most brilliant success in this coun-
try. Her faith never changes yet
there is continual development in her
towards a higher nnrfec-